Wednesday November 21, 2012, 9:18 am
The fascist five activist Republican Injustices on the Supreme Court are the willing Pawns of plutocratic billionaires like the Koch Brothers, as evidenced by the worst decision since Dred Scott, Citizens United. Here we have an opportunity to see just how twisted their rationale for misinterpreting the Constitution has become.

Wednesday November 21, 2012, 10:39 am
I honestly don't know what the rethuglicans are thinking....didn't they just get spanked in the elections? To any sensible thinking person, that should say, hey, maybe we are wrong to be so negative and narrow minded...

Actually the founders thought of the Fourth Estate as an outside function of the "checks and balances" for the functioning of government. That is why it is specifically listed in the constitution and does not address the right to speech by any corporate entity. The right of speech for the Fourth Estate was not seen as granting a corporate right of speech, rather an extended right of the people. To see this in any other way, is either delusional or a direct effort to twist the meaning of the constitution.

Wednesday November 21, 2012, 11:12 pm
Thanks TC - the Repuglicons hold to their beliefs like followers of a cult - if anyone disagrees it is they who are wrong, never the Repuglicons! I don't think they will ever learn, because their egos would crumble if they allowed any form of query or doubt to creep in!

Thursday November 22, 2012, 1:03 am
I put aside some of the things I should have done in favour of doing some reading. In that reading I came across an article on Alternet which I posted to Care2 regarding Lincoln. http://www.care2.com/news/member/775377582/3489150 The following is an excerpt from the article:

"Liberals are fond of referring to Lincoln's concern about corporate power, summed up in a letter he is often claimed to have written to Col. William F. Elkins in November 1864:

"I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country….corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed."

Lincoln’s observation is prescient. But here’s the inconvenient truth: Some of the most powerful corporations of his time were wildly enriched by having a friend in one Abraham Lincoln. "

The most prophetic words that ever were spoken!

"corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places …" — Well I think this is fully manifested in the 2010 SCOTUS decision Citizens United. With their decision, SCOTUS gave the power of personhood and free speech to corporations.

"the money power of the country will endeavour to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands . . ." — Do names like Koch, Adelson, Romney, Rockerfeller, Friess, and a bunch more ring any bells? Income inequality, cuts to or remodelling of Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, union busting, working conditions reminiscent of the beginning of the 20th century — evidence of the reign of 'money power'.

Let us hope that the last four of Lincoln's words do not come true — "…the Republic is destroyed."

The prime way to ensure that the last four words do not come true is to ensure that the judiciary is balanced and fair. It seems that this court is not so inclined, preferring instead to do the work of their corporate/political masters. I agree that Alito has totally 'misconscrewed' the constitution and should go back to law school. Fortunately, with one maybe two judges looking to retire in the coming few years, with Mr Obama in the White House, there is a chance for more balance in SCOTUS.

Thursday November 22, 2012, 3:19 am
If, as the most corrupt SCOTUS in history says, money is speech, then anyone giving more than the poorest person in the country can afford to give is denying the poor person free speech, and there should be a one cent maximum political donation limit.
The court consists of 4 moderates, one justice who occasionally rules according to the constitution rather than ideology and 4 who always rule by ideology.

Thursday November 22, 2012, 7:14 am
Thanks Tom, you did a far better job of pointing
out the obvious than I've been able to do. I'm no
Constitutional scholar either, but, I have read it
more than once, and I knew something didn't
sound correct in Alito's ramblings.